The Outer Circle
by Aimee Ayako
Summary: Annabel lives in a world completely different from ours. Everything is based on rank and seems to never change for the better. When she is taken to the Center who will she remember, who will she meet, and what will she do about everything?
1. The New Beginning

"Run! Run!" that's all I could hear from behind me as my brother, James, and I sprinted away from our Circle's Town Center. We had just been walking home from school when the trouble had begun. People in our Circle had been becoming restless with the new system after the 20 years we have dealt with it. My name is Annabel Fukoshima and I live in the most outer Circle of this settlement. Things are very different then I heard they used to be.

What the government likes to call the "New Beginning" completely changed how the world worked. Directly before, the economy had been plummeting and the government needed a solution, so they looked into the past for ideas. The way we live now is almost like medieval times where everything was based on rank. Each settlement is made up of a series of circles; the richest live in the center working out to the poorer people in the outer circles. We were placed in these positions by the government at the New Beginning. Wherever you were in the economy at the time was where your family would be stuck for generations unless you did something outstanding for the community to move up in the system which is almost impossible.

I live with my family of four including me, my two brothers, James and Paul, and my mother. My father passed away a little after my youngest brother Paul was born from a disease that had been spreading at the time. As I said before we live in the most outer circle otherwise known as the poorest. The conditions here are not very good, which of course was the cause of the riot on our way home from school. Then we have the Order Guards who make our lives that much worse. The government has placed them in each circle to keep order obviously from their name. I have yet to hear of a single person who likes them.

James, Paul, and I rush into our house hoping that we had escaped any trouble. "What's wrong? Why were you running?" Mother asked us in a rush.

"Don't worry Mother we should be fine we just ran into some trouble in the Center. Some people were getting riled up again." James answered to calm her down.

"They just don't know when to stop do they. They're just bringing more problems onto our circle, as if we don't already have enough with all the sickness going around here." She sure is right about that. Every time people start arguing the portions of food sent to each house becomes smaller and smaller and same with the supplies. Ever since our economy almost hit rock bottom the government has been in control of pretty much everything. Everyday they send a certain portion of food and other necessities to each household depending on their jobs and the number of people living in the house, or as they should be called here shacks. Our mother is the only one bringing in any money for our family since my brothers and I are still too young, so we already go hungry so much of the time. So many people in our circle go hungry there is hardly anything any of us can do about it except try to move up a circle which is almost completely unheard of. The only way my family sneaks by is because when everything first started my Mother had planted some vegetable and fruit plants. Luckily they are low growing so no one sees them over our fence. If we are caught with them we could be in serious trouble. It sure is nice our family usually has pretty good luck.


	2. Thinking

I'm walking to school when I see my best friend, Tally. She's a little taller than me maybe by a couple inches, she has blonde hair, and blue eyes that never look bored. "Hey Tally! Did you hear about yesterday? There were more problems again."

"I know! Those people are seriously trying to get us killed. Our government is in control and there's nothing we can do about, so they might as well just deal with it!"

"Well, you never know maybe we could do something," I answered.

"Are you kidding me? You seriously thing this Circle is going to do something about it? You must be losing your mind! Over half the people in our Circle lie around getting drunk everyday to try to avoid what's going on and you expect them to fight?"

"I didn't necessarily mean that. We could go on strike like they did in our history books."

"Yeah, because we all know that would work." The thing is she's probably right. So many people in our Circle have given up because of our conditions. Like she said many can't even face it because of the things they've gone through. People are whipped everyday from just trying to get an extra piece of bread.

As we walk into school I see my other good friend, Mark. I've known him since we we're only four. We met on the first day of Kindergarten when some other boys tripped me and he helped me up. He's always been there for me and is super nice. He has great dark brown hair and eyes and stands about a foot taller than me. Of course we joke around, but everything is always great. "Hey Mark. Ready for another great day at school?" I ask sarcastically."

"Oh you know it."

As I'm getting my books out I feel like someone's watching me so I look up. I almost jump out of my seat as I see the weird boy, Tom, staring at me. No one has ever really understood him. He's always been the extremely smart one who hides in the corner during anything social. It's weird it's like he isn't just staring at me, but almost to the point of glaring. He doesn't even look away like most people would. It's kind of creeping me out, so I try to act like I didn't notice and turn towards Mark. "Is it just me or is Tom staring at me?"

Mark's brow furrows a little before he answers. "He probably just has a crush on you or something." Mark turns away almost immediately which is odd we always talk until the teacher yells at us. I wonder if something is bothering him. I'll have to remember to ask him later.

After Tally had pointed out all those things about our Circle it really got me thinking. What would happen if the government just got tired of our Circle's problems? I mean over the years we have been so restless we're probably just a nuisance. It's all true two. Our people get drunk, hide, and cause trouble. Why keep us around? Hopefully no one else is thinking similarly to me.

I'm trying to sleep, but it seems almost impossible. All these thoughts running through my head are keeping me awake. Where would my family go and what would everyone do. There's no place to go except settlements and if we did become rebels they would never let us in. We've been told our entire lives that outside the settlements there is nothing, but dust and waste lands. Supposedly to discourage people leaving the settlements at the New Beginning they destroyed everything outside of them. I've never heard of someone leaving the settlements except officials, so I have no idea what it could possibly be like. All I see of the outside world is the sky being blue. Otherwise I've never seen anything except the Outer Circle.

It's the next day and I head to school as fast as I can since I'm already late. As I walk into the classroom, luckily before the teacher got there, I immediately look for Tally and Mark. Mark almost looks depressed, so I head for him first. "Mark, what's wrong?" Mark glances up and as soon as he sees me his face lights up.

"Oh nothing, just a little tired I guess." It's kind of odd I mean he seemed almost upset before, but I don't want to pry so I'll leave him alone for now.

"So, how was your night?" I asked.

"Okay, I guess. I was up pretty late with all the noise going on outside my house. The people in the Circle are crazy. I mean are they trying to get us killed?"

"Again? This is getting ridiculous something bad is going to happen to us if they keep on going."

"Quiet down everyone! School is starting!" the teacher yelled to the class.

I'm walking my way home from school and I already hear the noises of the "rebels", if that's what you want to call them. Everyone is at the town's center and seem to be surrounding something. Well, I guess I'll get a closer look maybe it'll put my mind to ease a little. That way I can report it to Mother when I get home, she's always interested. I literally have to get down on my hands and knees to get a look. It seems the rebels are surrounding a truck, almost like the recruit trucks I've only seen in history books. It seems they are arguing with the Order Guards. That seems weird I think I need to get a little bit closer. I'm weaving between legs when…..I'm grabbed from behind.

_Please Rate and Review! I'd love to get some feedback!_

Aimee Ayako


	3. A New Home

I look up into the face of the worst Order Guard, Chief. I struggle and kick and do whatever I can, but it's no use against him. They're just about to close the back of the truck when I'm shoved in. Where could they possibly be taking us? As I get my bearings, I look around and see about ten other people, most being middle-aged adults who all are looking grim, I am the youngest. "Where are we going and why?" I demand of the people around me.

"Deary, I don't know how you got mixed up in this, but no place good," a woman sitting across from me said.

"But what's going on? I just wanted a closer look."

"You just had some really bad timing then. The Order Guards showed up, said they were tired of us rebelling, and started grabbing people." As we talked, the truck lurched into motion heading to who knows where. After riding for a short time, I hear gates opening I'm not really sure, but it almost sounds like the gates opening between the Circles.

"They can't possibly be taking us out of the Circle can they? I mean we're not allowed," I said trying to hide my fear.

"Honey, they can take us wherever they want," a man to my right answered. Well, at least I'm stuck with some nice seeming, honest people. I guess all we can do is wait.

All of a sudden I'm jabbed awake by an elbow to my side. Where in the world am I? Then it all came rushing back to me with a large feeling of dread. We must have stopped; I no longer feel the rocking of the truck. The curtain is jerked open, "Everybody out!" an Order Guard yells. We slowly file out and jump onto the hard ground. I try to figure out where I am, but all I can figure out is maybe we're in a different circle. A man next to me reaches up to stretch after what I'm guessing had to have been a long ride, "Put your arms down!" an Order Guard yells. He was just stretching; they must think we're going to pull something.

"We would just like you to know that you are here because of your Circle. You have endlessly caused problems and we are putting a stop to it right now. You may be the first of many to be taken away depending on how your people react. We're staying here for the night, but don't get too comfortable we're leaving in the morning." I'm scared. He's so brutal, I mean, I'm obviously pretty young.

"Stick by me," a lady whispers to me. So I do what she says and follow. We sit down a little distance from the guards and take each other in. She's is a very mother-like looking figure who seems to be around 40 years old. "My name is Joan and I thought you could use someone to hang onto. How old are you?"

"Well, I'm 14 my name is Annabel Fukoshima. Do you know where they are taking us?"

"No, but let's hope it's not someplace to harsh." As we talk both of us are glancing around searching through the other people who were taken. I see no familiar faces, but by the sounds of it I may soon if they keep taking people.

The sun is slowly becoming lower and lower in the sky and my stomach is starting to complain. I've never had that before. We always eat at the same time and get just the right amount for our exertion. It's like a gnawing in my stomach and I just can't get my mind off of it. Finally, the Order Guards bring around some food. I can't quite see what it is, but hopefully something delicious. When they get to Joan and me I'm disappointed to see bread that looks as if it has gone bad. I look at it in disgust and even consider just tossing it away. "Eat it. You never know how often they'll actually feed us and what," Joan said. I guess she's right it could be a lot worse.

After our small dinner that I am in no way used to they tell us to get some sleep. They expect us to lie down and sleep on the hard, cold ground without anything in means of a blanket. Yes, the conditions in the Outer Circle weren't the best, but right now they are looking like heaven.

The Order Guards wake us up and for us right back into the truck and let me tell you it doesn't smell so great. It's just warm enough outside this time of year to make you sweat if you're out too long. I'm very grateful to have Joan right now. I'm so glad I met her. I know if I hadn't I would be so lost with no idea what to do. I figure this is bound to be a long ride two, so I might as well get that sleep that had been so rudely interrupted. This time I have a Joan's shoulder to lean on and just that is comforting enough for me.

Again I am woken up as the truck jerks to a stop. Joan is still right next to me and we grab hands to give whatever comfort we can. The people in the truck start to murmur as we sit here in wait for whatever fate may meet us. It seems like we've been sitting here for an hour, but it's probably only been 10 minutes. The curtain is once again jerked open, but his time we are met with the smirking face of an Order Guard. "Welcome to your new home," he said with a sneer.

_Reviews are always appreciated!_

_Aimee Ayako_


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